Shovel.



1. GIFFORDY.

SHOVEL. 7 APPLICATION FILED DEC-28. l9l4.

Patented Nov. 2,1915. I

JAY BIFFURIL nnirsn STATES? rArI-JENT orricn.

JAY GIFFORD, or ennns FALLS, NEW YORK, Assrenon TO GLENS FALLS LUMBER 00.,

Inc, A CORPORATION or'nnw YORK. f l L sn'ovnn ToaZZ whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, JAY Grrronn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glens Falls, in the county of lVarren and State of New York, have invented new 'and useful Improvements in Shovels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in shovels and more particularlyto the construction of a sheet metal snow shovel blade.

The object of this invention is to provide a sheet metal snow shovel having a curved blade with integral strengthening ribs with one part of the handle socket struck up therefrom and an upper edge strengthening member secured upon the rear of the blade forming the other part of the handle socket.

The advantages of this invention are the ease and economy of manufacture, the construction of the handle socket strengthening the weakest part of the blade, and also its adaptability of straight handles.

lVhile the preferred form of this invention is illustrated upon the accompanying sheet of drawing yet it is to be understood that minor detail changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof.

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of this improved snow shovel blade. Fig. 2 is a top plan View. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation. Fig. a is a view of the shovel with the blade in central longitudinal section and the handle in side elevation.

This improved snow shovel comprises the handle 1 of usual form and a transversely curved blade 2 preferably of galvanized sheet metal.

The blade is rectangular in form being preferably of slightly greater length than width andis curved transversely, as shown in Fig. 2. The handle is secured to the shovel blade in a socket 3, one-half of which is formed integral with the blade and the other half in a backing 4: secured upon the blade and preferably being of the same material as the blade. The front portion of the handle socket is formed by striking up the metal of the blade along the longitudinal center line in a curved portlon 5 semicircular in cross-section at the top with the crown of curvature extending downward in a straight line substantially to the center of the blade and then gradually curved to meet the contour of the blade proper substantially one-quarter of its length from the bottom,

specification er te Patented Nov. 2; 1915. Application filedDecember 28,1914. seiialnefsvajzva circular cross-section throughout the straight The top ofthe backing 4; isvof the same width as the top of the blade. The side edges are out upon a curve from the ends of the top toward the center line and then extend downward below the termination of the struck up portion 5 of the blade. The back is curved to correspond with the blade and is secured thereto, preferably by rivets. The top 2 of the blade is crimped over the top of the backing and the body of the backing along its longitudinal center line is struck out to form a complementary half 6 of the socket portion 5 of the blade, said struck out portion being semi-circular in cross-section at the top with the crown of curvature extending in a straight line to substantially the center of the blade and then gradually curved-to meet the blade proper with the blade portion of the socket, the semi-circular cross-section being maintained throughout the straight line of the crown of curvature and then gradually diminishing as it approaches the blade.

A plurality of longitudinal corrugation or strengthening ribs 7 are struck up from the underside of the shovel blade to add to its strength. 5

As seen in Fig. 4, the handle 1 is of the usual straight type and is attached to the blade by thrusting it into the socket 3 where it may be secured, if desired, by a screw or nail 8 passing through'one of the sides of the socket.

Light weight shovels of this character are usually weak at the center and easily bend the struck upjportionimaintainingits semi and then break transversely of the blade. By forming the socket wholly within the I to its strength while the backing extending downward below the blade portion of the socket reinforces the blade where most needed, the struck out socket portion of the.

backing adding to the rigidity of the blade.

By this construction the handle will be held in contact throughout at least one-half of the blade and the top of the blade extending centrally on each side of the handle will add to the ease in turning the shovel in the hand.

What I claim is:

A shovel comprising a transversely curved metal blade having a central longitudinal struck up portion extending substantially three-quarters of its length semi-circular in transverse cross-section at the top with the crown of curvature extending in a straight line and the transverse semi-circular crosssection continuing substantially to the center of the blade and then merged into the blade proper substantially a quarter ofits length from the bottom a backing secured to the blade extending across the entire top edge thereof and depending below the struck out portion having a central longitudinal struck out portion similar to that of the blade to form between the blade and backing a socket for the/reception of the handle, and a handle extending substantially to the center of the blade within said socket.

JAY GIFFORD.

Witnesses:

KATHRYNE G. DWYER, MARGARET M. NAsI-I.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

